Strength of the soul
by Golden Arrow
Summary: 3 now added: How will Cassie react to learning just who the phantom ranger is? Will he be able to help her deal with her grief?
1. Default Chapter

Strength of the soul

By golden Arrow

Summary:

Disclaimer: I own nothing Power rangers, wish I did but that's life.  

Author's note: 

Chapter 1 Regrets and self recriminations

Cassie watched as the psycho ranger slashed her three times, she saw the blade then altered with a pink sparkle into a second form.

Damn it she should have moved, true she still felt some of the aches but she should have been able too do something then, been able to move.  

Instead, she watched as the evil one knocked Kendrix back, managing to slash at her once more.  

"Hey you're still watching it?"  Andros asked as he came into the girls' room, pausing to take in his surroundings.   

"Yeah, I don't know me just keeping if I'd kept moving, if I'd just fought harder and been faster…"  She sighed keeping her eyes on the battle on the screen, she had to know, had to see it, know where she'd messed up.  

"Cass," Andros crossed the room and took a seat beside his distraught teammate.  "When Zhane took that attack for me back on KO-35 I felt the same thing.  Only in the last few years did I realize the truth."  He said, clicking off the replay unit and then waiting until she looked at him.  "Cassie, what happened, happened for a reason, if he'd not been injured so badly maybe he'd have perished elsewhere and then where would we have been in that final battle?"  He asked as if it made all of the sense in the world.  

 Cassie supposed it did, in a way but Kendrix was dead, for good, never to come back.  She was dead.  Springing up to pace the small room she reached the window before saying.  

"But it's not the same thing, that time there was still a chance of her coming back but now…"  She saw the stars, in their infanet numbers, glittering as if a life had not been lost.  Did they know?  Did anyone care?  But she'd known that Leo had, he'd been hurting so badly.  He'd loved her, probably not openly but there it had been in that terror…  

"Cassie," she felt the hand on her shoulder, "you guys found me when I was in a place darker than the dark fortress and more dangerous than all of Dark specter's armies."  His voice was gentle, even knowing and she hated it, she hated knowing he'd not lost as she had, that she was so alone…  

"And we brought you out of it, I know that but   there was hope, I got someone out right killed."  She slammed a fist down on the window glass and then stalked back to her bed, hitting the replay on button.  

"Cassie…"  What could he say?  He really didn't know who did?  

"Kendrix get out of there!"  Cassie screamed aloud in the little room she now shared with Ashley, Andros's presence forgotten.

"I have to destroy it forever!"  Kendrix shouted back as if she had some inner knowledge of how to take care of this little problem.  

"Cassie!"  The blue astro ranger was shouting as the teams ran up.

"Kendrix!"  Leo shouted in terror and fear as he must have realized what was about to happen.  

"No you have to get out of there!"  Maya shouted trying to run to them, but Leo was grabbing her, holding her back.

"This has to work!"  Kendrix shouted as she brought down her Quasar Saber on the hilt of the savage sword.  The foil buckled into two halves, in its original form, and the energy storm collapsed, until all that was left was a small column of sparkling white light.

Andros watched then too for a moment and then left in silence.   There was simply no way to help her, none that he could see at any rate.

On the bed Cassie took it in once more, with out the physical pain of earlier.  The light was nothing more than a translucent Pink ranger, white and holding her Quasar Saber.  She was just hovering there for a moment then she demorphed

In a flash of white light.  Although she was upright she almost looked unconscious.

"I'm ok."  She whispered her eyes opening slowly to look over them all; slowly a smile crossed her face.  "No matter what I'll always be here."  There was a flash, even as she began to narrow out into a beam of light.  And then she was gone absorbed into her

Quasar Saber.

Cassie hit the replay rewind and started it once more, needing to find that point…  

***  

The black clad figure Checked his navigation instruments and preyed he'd not be too late.  He'd been trying to find her when this had all happened, that's why it was taking him so dammed long to cross the galaxy.  

He'd felt it, her pain, it was one of the gifts of the power ruby.  Well, at least there were gifts, not just curses.  

Sighing he glanced at his watch, he was not morphed and so he was in his full earth gear.  Man, it was weird to wear his own cloths.  But then for the last few months he'd been in such a dark place he hadn't cared if he lived or died, so what had clothing mattered?  

It was why it had taken him so long to make up his mind to go find Cassie.  

Now though since he'd felt that darkness, not about him but another close to him he'd fled like a horde of Tanga's after a battle.  

The darkness was not that of a broken relationship, he'd found out how that felt after he'd received Tanya's dear Jon letter.  Nor that of the loss of a family member but that of grief mixed with guilt. Both were a dangerous mix and he had to get there, had to be there, to make her see she was not at fault; he just couldn't lose her too.  

***  

"Hey," Ashley said as her boyfriend joined her in the galley.  The yellow clad girl wasn't eating or anything like that but staring in 

As if remembering too.  The red ranger just didn't know what to do, what was there too do?  

Closing his eyes a minute he let instinct take over and moved to Ashley wrapping his arms about her shoulder.  

"Hey, any luck?"  She asked tilting her head back t gaze up at him.  

"No, she's so deep that I don't know what to do."  He said morosely.  

"What about Deca 2?"  Ashley asked and he glanced up to the spot on the wall where the red beam lit.  

"'I have tried to speak with Cassie however she will not respond."  The ship's duplicated voice intoned.  It was almost identical to Deca 1's voice but a slight bit higher in pitch.  

"That's what she did when I tried."  Ashley sighed and let her boyfriend help her to her feet and lead her from the room.  "Andros?"  She asked when they came to his quarters.  

"Ash, I talked to Zhane, I'm bunking in with him, and you should get some rest too."  He informed her and she smiled up at him wanly.  

"'You know me too well, do you know that?"  

"Maybe."  Then he kissed her goodnight and headed off towards his own quarters. 

TBC 

***  

Hmm, what do you think?  I was trying to think of a good Cassie Phantom fic that was non fluff.  Not that I have anything against fluff I love to write it and more to read it but… *shrugs*Guess I'm just in the mood for some meat. Anyway what do you think?  Better question do you think you know the phantom's Identity?  Want to take a stab at it?  


	2. An unexspected arrival

Chapter 2 Unexpected Arrival

"Hey Zhane check this out." Carlos called and the silver ranger frowned moving over to where his friend stood, monitoring the surrounding area.   

"What is it?"  

"'A ship." Carlos narrowed the monitor so they could get a better look and sure enough there was a vessel as 

"Hmm, no cloaking, think it's a trap?"  Zhane asked and Carlos thought a long moment. 

"Trakeena could be trying to finish the job." Carlos murmured and Zhane nodded.  

"Deca hail ship."  The silver ranger said after another moment's hesitation.  

"Hailing now." the automated voice announced and with in seconds the image appeared on the main view screen.  

"Hello rangers."  The black clad form said in his deep slightly muffled voice.  

"Phantom?"  Carlos hadn't thought he'd made it through that last battle.  None of them had, after all he'd not been in contact with them since.  "What do you want?"  

"I'm here to speak with Cassie." the apposing figure said in that voice and it was odd but Carlos thought he'd heard it, no the muffled tone as now but that voice… 

"Cassie isn't feeling very well."  Zhane put in solemnly.  For once his laughing eyes were quiet, his face not lit by a goofy grin.  

"Yes, I have heard of the situation." The figure nodded his head slowly. "It is why I am here." 

"Look…"  Carlos began but Zhane touched is arm.  

"He might be able to bring her out of it." The silver clad ranger pointed out.  L

"Fine but if she is pissed you're going down alone." The green clad earthling muttered.  

"Fine." the truth was Zhane didn't care if Cassie was mad at him.  It would at least mean she wasn't doing an Andros and beating herself up over something she couldn't change.  

***  

Fifteen minutes later the stealth Shadow stowed in the launch bay the three rangers stood in the otherwise empty chamber.  Although the phantom was eager to get to Cassie, to for himself how she was doing he had known  that Carlos and this silver ranger were good friends to Cassie and would want answers.  

"So how'd you hear about the attack?"  Carlos asked crossing his arms over his chest in a stubborn stance that said, you're not going anywhere.  

"I'm everywhere." the phantom ranger replied elusively.  

"Not good enough.  I want to know, who are you?"  The black ranger replied and the phantom knew he's not get any further unless he showed himself yet with his training he was loathe to show his true self.  

"I'm the phantom ranger." he said moving into a like stance.  

"Perhaps, but I want more, if your going to see Cassie, you're going to have to fess up."  Carlos said his eyes narrowing on the figure looming above him by several inches.  True the black could be deceiving but Carlos knew this was the phantom.  The reason he wanted to see the man beneath was because if he was right about the identity of this man he'd kick his butt.  

"Look, she's in a really bad place, I don't want to take forever at this."  The phantom tried again to get through this mask intact. 

"So he talks normally."  Zhane noted solemnly and the other two looked at him as if he was insane.  

"Dimorph." Carlos then said looking right back at the phantom.  

The b lack armor clad ranger knew there was no help for it and so he sighed.  

"Shadows recede!" 

***  

"Adam?"  The sight of his predecessor had Carlos so shell shocked he could hardly even think.  He'd not thought in a million years this would be the real man.  He'd thought maybe it was Tommy.  After all after becoming rangers Carlos had not seen Tommy again but he'd seen Adam that time when he'd wanted to quit his new post.  

"Hey man, is this good enough?"  Adam asked as he stood in his red t-shirt and jeans. 

 "You're the green Zeo ranger?"  Zhane asked and Adam nodded.  

"Yeah."  Here it comes, Adam thought inwardly.  

"It doesn't make sense."  Carlos said unlocking his arms to run a hand through his dark hair.  

"Look, after I transferred the turbo powers to you, man, Zordon called on me on Eltar, I went and he offered me a chance to pick up the battle again as the phantom ranger." Adam told them both and Carlos slowly began to see a pattern taking shape.  

"So what your just a lone ranger?" Carlos asked next.  

"No originally, Kimberly heart,  the first pink ranger, Trini Kwan, first yellow and Jason Scott the first red ranger and part time gold ranger were recruited to become the illusionary rangers."  

"So where are they?  You're always alone."  Carlos pointed out unwilling to just except this without all of his question being answered.  

"During the countdown Trini was killed.  I was supposed to have her back so…"  Adam confessed turning away from them a moment, although he'd come to except it he still had some difficulty talking about it.  

"You were in the same spot as Cassie is now." Zhane spoke up and still facing away from them the human nodded.  

"Yeah, it's why I came; I think I can help her out."  Adam said this time the one running a hand through long black hair.  

"And before that why were you always alone?"  Carlos persisted and Adam had to fight to stay calm, didn't they know how much pain their so-called friend was in.  

"The four of us were each given a zone to over see, if rangers within them needed help we had to intervene."  

"Thus I go where I am needed." TJ said and the three turned to find the blue astro ranger standing in the doorway.  

"Exactly, and like you guys we had to keep our identities a secret."  Adam said hoping against hope they'd let him go to her now.  

"But the ru…"  Carlos began but TJ cut him off saying.  

"Go on, she's in her quarters down on deck five, second door on the left." 

"But…"  Carlos tried to detain him but TJ spoke in that same quiet tone.  

"There will be time for that later."  

"Thanks man." Adam said and TJ nodded.  

TBC  

***  

What do you think?  Were you surprised?  I like the idea of Adam as the phantom, he's just so cute… *grins starry eyed*


	3. Dark Reunion

nAuthor's note: Hey everyone sorry this took so long, I had to much to do and no time to really work on this.  I hope the length of it makes up for the late update.  

Separate disclaimer: The song featured in this chapter is Jane Siberry's "Calling All Angels" 

Chapter 3 Dark reunion

Santa Maria, Santa Teresa,

Santa Anna, Santa Susannah

Santa Cecilia, Santa Copelia,

Santa Domenica, Mary Angelica

Frater ACarlos, Frater Pietro,

Julianus, Petronilla

Santa, Santos,

Miroslaw, Vladimir

And all the rest

Cassie felt the pain as the Psycho Pink ranger slashed her again and again.  Was it two or three times?  All she knew though was that pain and that she was growing weaker.  Something had to happen or she'd die and then Kendrix and the others…  

With a pink gleam the blade then transformed into a second weapon, it now had two big black rectangular drawings on its hilt and a thicker black blade.  Cassie new they were in big trouble and as she staggered to her feet she watched as Psycho Pink knocked Kendrix back.  That was why Cassie was not ready when the enemy whirled and cut at her again.  

there had been so much pain as they fought, as the three warriors tried to destroy one another, the two good taking more hits than the villainess 

By the time Psycho Pink caught her and held the blade to her shoulder Cassie was ready to drop.  She felt her power draining, and was so dizzy he didn't know where it was going.  

When the darkness began to claim her, Cassie felt the pain in her back and then she was flying to the ground feet away.  

Blearily she watched as the sword morphed into a third shape, a hugely massive blade. 

She barely felt the slices of the savage sword as it's energy draining property was sucking Cassie closer and closer to the edge of oblivion.  That was why she barely filth her protective costume dissolving.  

Her vision cleared as she saw her morpher skid off into the sand a few feet away, just out of her reach, not that she had enough strength to go after it.  

Cassie heard the hated voice of Psycho Pink growl something and then was heading for her morpher.  Cassie knew she had to do something but her body was so weak drain nearly of all power.  

"This Morpher holds a lot of power, and that power will be mine."  

Cassie saw Kendrix was weak too and they were both watching as Psycho Pink   impaled the pink astro morpher with the savage sword, a large red column of energy vapor whirling up around the rapier

Suddenly, Cassie saw it toss Psycho Pink out and morph her into a monstrous form.  Then the creature that had been Psycho Pink was coming for her, cassie new she was going to die, could taste her own death and she thought of all she'd yet to do, become a singing star, meet up with the phantom, get married and settle down…  

Then, in horror and bewilderment Cassie saw Kendrix block the beast's path. Too she saw that in the energy cyclone, the Savage Sword glowed a hot pink, draining energy from the cracked Morpher.  Knowing this was it that there was nothing she nor Kendrix could do she groaned and hoped it would end quickly she couldn't take too much more than this.  

"Don't worry cassie," Kendrix murmured kneeling beside her dying friend.  "We'll get your powers back, just hang on."  But how could she?  Cassie wandered weakly when it hurt so bad, this draining or her body's power, this slow death.  She screamed as Kendrix pressed against the energy wall but was knocked back by a blast; she continued pushing again, despite repeated bursts and Cassie's screams of protest, she had a bad feeling even as her body began to shut down. 

While the pink galaxy ranger stood facing the Savage Sword once inside the barrier, Cassie mustered her strength one last time.  

"Kendrix get out of there!"  Cassie screamed even as she felt the pain fading into numbness.

"I have to destroy it forever!"  Kendrix shouted back determinedly.  

"Cassie!"  TJ was shouting as they ran up.  Cassie was barely aware her attention on the other pink ranger.  

"This has to work!"  Kendrix brought down her Quasar Saber down on the hilt of the savage sword.  The blade buckled into two halves, in its original form,

And the energy storm disintegrated, until all that was left was a small column of colorless light.

Oh, a man is placed upon the steps, a baby cries

High above you can hear the church bells start to ring

And as the heaviness, oh the heaviness

The body settles in

Somewhere you can hear a mother sing

_"Damn it!"  She slammed a fist into the wall.  "I should have been able to save her!"  She shouted and then preceded to pound the tar nations out of it.  _

Then it's one foot then the other

As you step out onto the road, step out on the road

How much weight? How much?

Then its how long? And how far?

And how many times, oh, before it's too late?

"I do not believe that wall has done anything to you Cassie."  The strangely muffled voice didn't immediately penetrate Dana's rage but when she felt a gloved hand grasp hers in a firm but gentle grip she looked up.  

"Phantom?"  She asked surprised to find the tall black armor clad figure there.  She looked as if he'd always been there, not tat all out of place and she blinked trying to ascertain if he were merely part of this horrific nightmare.  After all why would the phantom ranger be there now?  It had been over a year since the need of the war and he'd come for her before now.  .  

"Hello Cassie."  The figure said and Cassie knew this was real; his voice had that deep muffled quality to it.   

"What are you doing here? I mean…"  Heavens he was so tall and memories threatened to overwhelm her if she let them. 

"I had a feeling you needed a friend."  He told her softly and she felt her confusion turn to anger, now he was there?  "Did one of the others contact you?"  She asked pulling her hands free so she could plant them on her hips.  

"But how could they?  No one's been able to find you since the end of the war!"  the Asian young woman fairly shouted letting her anger go at this armor clad body, one she'd needed and who'd not been here.  

"Cassie, I know your in a bad place right now…"  the phantom moved forward to try and explain but she just glared at him.  

"How?  How could you know? You weren't there!"  She did scream now as the tears welled up hot in her eyes.  

without  another word the black clad figure reached up for the ruby in the dead center of his chest.  In mere seconds another figure replaced that of the chivalrous phantom ranger.  

Calling all angels

Calling all angels

Walk me through this one

Don't leave me alone

Calling all angels

Calling all angels

We're tryin' and we're hoepin' but we're not sure how...

 "Adam?"  the raven haired girl asked, her still streaming chocolate eyes going wider in true surprise.  

"Hey Cassie."  He waved a little, a grim expression on his face.  

"I don't understand, you gave your powers to us."  Cassie asked her rage and pain pushing back so she could think, just the sight of him did that, he was a person, not a thing.  Added to that Adam was the phantom ranger?  Why come now?  he was here?  But how had he heard?  

"The phantom ranger's story is long and complicated but as for the other questions, I thought I'd see how you were doing after what happened today."  He said running a hand through his long black hair in weariness.  

"You heard about that back on earth?"  Cassie asked numbly as she moved over to gaze out the small space bound window.  She didn't know if she could handle this on top of everything else.  

And every day you gaze upon the sunset

With such love and intensity

Why it's ...it's almost as if

If you could only crack the code

Then you'd finally understand what this all means

"Not exactly."  Adam murmured, God he could feel her pain he couldn't believe she'd gotten this far.  Cassie was in so much pain, just as he'd been with…  In this one time he thanked what was left of the Eltarian world for his empathic skills which were linked to the phantom's ruby.  At least he could be here for her, help her as he'd needed help.  

"I don't believe that you're here for me.  You never came just for me before so why are you really hear?"  She asked turning back to him her arms folded across her chest in a stubborn gesture of grimness.   

"Cassie I know I've not been such a great friend, but I couldn't always come when I wanted to or when you wanted me too."  Adam said and Cassie frowned.  

"Ranger business?"  She asked a brow arched in annoyance.  

"Some times."  he said dragging a weary hand through his thick black hair.  "Other times there were family problems."  Adam admitted.  he didn't want to talk here, not in a place where she'd morned.  It they were going to get through this they'd have to go somewhere else, somewhere  without  memories for her.  "Why don't we get out of here?"  

"Where are we going?"  Cassie knew this was the Adam she'd met and yet his face was much paler and his dark eyes seemed somehow sorrowful.  

I was thinking somewhere we can talk with not so many memories."  He offered and Cassie nodded in acceptance.  

Ah, but if you could...do you think you would

Trade in all, all the pain and suffering?

Ah, but then you'd miss

The beauty of the light upon this earth

And the, the sweetness of the leaving

Walking to the bridge where Zhane and Carlos were running systems checks and scanning the area for trouble.  

"Hey Cassie how you doing?"  Carlos asked and she forced a brave smile.  

"I'm doing."   

"Well that's something at least."  Carlos nodded.  

"So any luck?"  Zhane asked and Adam didn't move his lips to answer sending the silent message.  

"She's coming with me to my ship so that's a plus at least."  

Zhane didn't even blink at the silent transmission as his people were known for being able to speak telepathically.  He simply returned.  

"Good, take good care of her or I'll hunt you down and make loosing your ruby seem a simple way of dying."

Adam didn't reply nodding almost imperceptively and turning to Cassie.  

"Are you ready?"  

"I guess."  With her answer Adam took the pink astro ranger's hand and they teleported out in a stream of pink and black sparkles.  

Neither saw the look pass between Zhane or Carlos nor the frown that crossed TJ's face as he arrived in time to see the couple leaving.  

Calling all angels

Calling all angels

Walk me through this one

Don't leave me alone

Calling all angels

Calling all angels

We're tryin' and we're hoepin'

But we're not sure how...

As the teleportation stream faded and Cassie found they were now standing on the darkened bridge of a ship she frowned.  This was the phantom ranger's ship?  It had always seemed to be just a fighter so how could there be a bridge like on the astro megaship?  Cassie had forgotten she wasn't alone until he spoke up.  

"It is an innerdementional pocketary vessel."  When she just looked at him he added.  "The ship is always there but the inside is somehow shrunk so it fully exists but not n our reality.  It's like how I can seem invisible."  

"You're always here but there?" She asked and he nodded.  

"It keeps our true existence mysterious and safer for all of our unit."  

"Your unit?"  Cassie frowned at Adam; she didn't even realize she was not dying inside at the moment, her thoughts of Adam and his story.  

"There were five of us."  Adam said moving to stand at a computer consol where he pulled up a visual.  There was a silver, grey and black swirling symbol and the words Spirits within.  

"We were all previous rangers."  Adam was saying as the first face appeared on screen.  

Kimberly Heart: 

First pink earth ranger

 Gymnast 

Fuchsia spirit ranger

Green belt in karate

Cassie knew her face, had seen it time and time again back on earth during the pan Global games.  True she wasn't big on sports but she'd loved watching the games, the gymnasts just had so much balance and grace.  

Cassie had never seen this guy but she'd heard about the summit.  It was a really big deal to a lot of people back home and she knew why.  It was one step for peace and a million for teens.  It was not a surprise she'd been chosen as a ranger twice.  

Jason Lee Scott:

First red earth ranger

Member of the first teen peace summit

Crimson spirit ranger

Master of Tie che, fifth level black belt in karate 

Cassie recognized the next ranger very well; it had been the young man in dark green who had given TJ his turbo powers.  She'd thought he'd just gotten on with his life.  

Tommy Oliver: 

First green earth ranger, first white earth ranger and third red earth ranger

 Stock car driver

Emerald spirit ranger 

Eighth level black belt in karate 

What she red next had Cassie freezing. The oriental girl whose face she didn't know smiled back at her, her smile full of life and joy.  Still she couldn't believe the words along with her status report.  

TRini Kwan: 

First yellow earth ranger 

Member of the first teen peace summit

Gold spirit ranger.

Highest degree in preying mantis 

Deceased 

Calling all angels

Calling all angels

Walk me through this one

Don't leave me alone

Adam watched her read and saw the moment what she was seeing hit Cassie, her eyes widened and a dark light filled them.  He had been glad when the pain had left her face but perhaps it had to be there for her to see the truth.  

"What happened?"  Cassie heard her weak voice and didn't let herself think about Kendrix now; she couldn't if she did fear would grip her.  She'd never thought one ranger could truly die let alone two.  If this TRini and Kendrix could be taken out they all could die.  She'd never let herself think about that Billy Cranston if she did she never would have been able to cope with the danger they faced everyday.  

"Cassie?"  Adam said softly and when she looked at him he saw the realization and fear she was righting.  

Without a word Adam opened his arms to the pink astro ranger and pulled her in for a tight hug.  

Callin' all angels

Callin' all angels

We're tryin'

We're hoepin'

We're hurtin'

We're lovin'

We're cryin'

We're callin'

'cause we're not sure how this goes

To Be Continued  

***  

Ok I did my part now if you don't mind telling me what you'd think I'd really love to hear from you.  Was it too done?  I was hoping to give the phantom ranger a good reason for not having come for Cassie.  That really bugged me.  Also I wanted Cassie to have a more realistic reaction to Kendrix's sacrifice.  


End file.
